Harold Gourgues

Family-Placed Death Notice

HAROLD GOURGUES Harold Gourgues passed away Thursday, August 18th, 2005, after a valiant, inspirational battle with pancreatic cancer. He will be remembered as a visionary, a leader, a humanitarian, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and faithful friend. Harold was born September 23, 1937 In Larose, Louisiana, son of Harold and Clara Belle Gourgues. He grew up in Louisiana, graduating from Louisiana State University in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in chemical engineering. He demonstrated his strong leadership abilities as President of the LSU student body in 1959 and as a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Harold also received a degree in meteorology from Penn State University and used those skills serving his country in the U.S. Air Force from 1961 to 1963. He was stationed in England and forecast the weather for Air Force pilots based there. After leaving the Air Force, Harold married the love or his life, Geneva. In their 39 years of marriage they raised 2 children, Katherine and Walter, and experienced the joy of 4 grandchildren. In 1975 Harold and Geneva moved from New Orleans to Atlanta where Harold founded and managed the Financial Planning Division of the Robinson-Humphrey Company, Inc. His intellect, leadership, and innovative thinking quickly established Harold as one of the leading financia1 planning authorities in the nation. He authored 3 books on personal finance and was frequently quoted by The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other leading financial publications. Money Magazine named Harold one of the 7 leading financial planners in America, and Kiplinger's Personal Finance labeled him "the financial planning industry's most widely respected critic." Georgia Trend Magazine featured Harold in 2 major articles, including one entitled "The High Priest of Finance". Harold's role of "priest" went far beyond the secular world. Harold was a good and faithful servant to his Lord and Savior, dedicating himself and his talents to various ministries of the Roman Catholic Church of North Georgia. In 1988 Harold and Geneva founded the Marian Meadows Retreat House for archdiocesan teens and supervised it for 15 years. Marian Meadows continues as a spiritual retreat house. Harold also served as Spiritual Director of Christ Renews His Parish for 7 years at both Our Lady of The Assumption Parish in Atlanta and Good Shepherd Parish in Cumming. In 1990 Harold was ordained a Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese and served at Our Lady of The Assumption, Good Shepherd Parish, and the Cathedral of Christ the King, before returning to his home parish, OLA. In 1997 Harold received his Masters Degree from Loyola University in theological studies with a major in Adult Religious Education. In 2004 he completed his studies leading to a graduate level certification in Spiritual Direction from Spring Hill College. Harold, with Geneva by his side, was a founding member and President of the Georgia Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and for the past 3 decades devoted his energies and resources toward the effort to find a cure for diabetes. Harold is survived by his wife, Geneva Jones Gourgues; daughter and son-in-law, Katherine Gourgues Williams and Dane Williams and their children, Sierra and Jonah of Atlanta; son and daughter-in-law, H. Walter Gourgues III and Lauren Snyder Gourgues and their children, Gabrielle and Hunter of Atlanta; mother, Clara Belle Gourgues and sister and brother-in-law, Catherine and Charles Shaver of Thibodeax, Louisiana; brother Buddy Gourgues of Decatur. Harold was preceded in death by his father, Harold Gourgues, and his brother Kenneth Gourgues. The funeral mass will be Saturday, August 27th at 10 AM at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, 1350 Hearst Drive, NE, Atlanta with Father Richard Morrow officiating. The burial will follow at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 400 Perimeter Center Terrace, Suite 750, Atlanta, Georgia 30346 or Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home, 760 Pollard Boulevard, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30315 (404-688-9515). The family will receive friends Friday, August 26th from 7 - 9 PM with vigil service being held at 8:30PM at H. M. Patterson & Son Oglethorpe Hill Chapel, 4550 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30319.